Author: García, César
Title: Stoic virtue in modern public relations: Cicero’s De Officiis and the fully functioning society theory
Review/Collection: "Atlantic Journal of Communication" 34 (2)
Year edition: 2026
Pages: 235-245
Keywords: Philosophie - Filosofia - Philosophy
Description: This paper merges classical philosophy and modern public relations theory by analyzing Cicero’s De Officiis ;(44 BCE) through the lens of Fully Functioning Society Theory (FFST) (Heath, 2006, 2018). While Cicero’s Stoic framework prioritizes virtue (honestum) and tangible civic duty over performative reputation, FFST advocates for dialogic, ethical communication to align organizational and societal interests. Both critique hollow rhetoric (Cicero condemns panem et circenses spectacles, while FFST rejects symbolic CSR) yet diverge in their prescriptions: Cicero emphasizes action (e.g. infrastructure, legal defense), whereas FFST privileges deliberative discourse. The study argues that integrating Cicero’s stoic pragmatism into FFST could address contemporary PR challenges, such as greenwashing and distrust in corporations, by grounding strategic communication in virtue and long-term societal harmony. By synthesizing these frameworks, the paper proposes a hybrid model for public relations that balances ethical rigor with pragmatic engagement based on deeds, offering a timely corrective to profit-driven reputation management. [Author]
Works:
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15456870.2025.2533233
Author initials: García 2026
Title: Stoic virtue in modern public relations: Cicero’s De Officiis and the fully functioning society theory
Review/Collection: "Atlantic Journal of Communication" 34 (2)
Year edition: 2026
Pages: 235-245
Keywords: Philosophie - Filosofia - Philosophy
Description: This paper merges classical philosophy and modern public relations theory by analyzing Cicero’s De Officiis ;(44 BCE) through the lens of Fully Functioning Society Theory (FFST) (Heath, 2006, 2018). While Cicero’s Stoic framework prioritizes virtue (honestum) and tangible civic duty over performative reputation, FFST advocates for dialogic, ethical communication to align organizational and societal interests. Both critique hollow rhetoric (Cicero condemns panem et circenses spectacles, while FFST rejects symbolic CSR) yet diverge in their prescriptions: Cicero emphasizes action (e.g. infrastructure, legal defense), whereas FFST privileges deliberative discourse. The study argues that integrating Cicero’s stoic pragmatism into FFST could address contemporary PR challenges, such as greenwashing and distrust in corporations, by grounding strategic communication in virtue and long-term societal harmony. By synthesizing these frameworks, the paper proposes a hybrid model for public relations that balances ethical rigor with pragmatic engagement based on deeds, offering a timely corrective to profit-driven reputation management. [Author]
Works:
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15456870.2025.2533233
Author initials: García 2026
